Milton H. Roye, Sr. of Dorchester, MA passed away peacefully in Boston on Sunday morning, April 28, 2024 at age 93, with his two sons Milton Roye Jr. and Michael Roye at his side.

Milton was born on March 7, 1931 to Herbert and Hilda Roye in St. Elizabeth's Parish, Jamaica, British West Indies.  Raised in Jamaica by two aunts and his grandparents, Milton and his sister Janet and brother Richard joined their parents in the US in 1945, flying in a Pan-Am Clipper from Jamaica to Miami via Cuba, and then travelling by train to New York and then Boston.  He attended Brighton High School where he studied to become an automotive mechanic under their work/study program.  Upon graduation he joined the US Marine Corps and upon his discharge he began a 42-year career as a mechanic with the Clark & White Lincoln-Mercury dealership in Allston MA and later in Newton, from which he retired in 1992.

As a mechanic Milton developed a reputation for quality and problem-solving that spanned New England, developing lifelong friendships with customers and with other mechanics for quality, integrity and ingenuity.  Customers would specify him for their service needs, and Ford factory reps for New England would consult with him on their most challenging engine diagnostics problems.

His hobbies and loves were his family, racing and motorsports, travel, and gardening – his attention to detail extended to everything he did.  Everyone that knew Milton knew that May meant the Indianapolis 500, and his annual pilgrimage to Indiana for the "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" – 33 times he and his wife Beverly attended the Indy 500, along with their son Milton Jr., daughter-in-law Gloria and granddaughter Katherine.  His love for NASCAR was just as strong, with many trips to the NASCAR races in Georgia and Virginia with his wife Beverly and their son Michael.

Milton also got the family into camping, which they did at Cape Cod (the summer home of his parents Hilda and Herbert), Maine, Canada, and cross-country to California.  Many of Milton's friends followed his lead and also took up camping and RVing, a first in our community, as well as ocean cruises after his camping days were over.  When he wasn't camping, he was powerboating with his fellow mechanic and friend Bill Roper, where not only did the boats have hottest performance but he made sure we represented our community at its best in neatness and organization.  "No torn clothing, and no brown paper bags" were his standing instructions.

Milton met his partner in life, Beverly Joan Gray in 1946, just a year after coming to the USA, and once she found him – that was it!  They dated on and off for 7 years and were married in 1954.  This October 2024 would mark their 70-year wedding anniversary, and a more loving couple has never been found.  In motorsports, in camping, in gardening, in making friends wherever they went, and to Milton's Early Ford V-8 Club of New England outings, they were true partners – they complemented one another and were almost never apart.  The one exception was the monthly Saturday morning breakfast meetings of the Spartans, a club of friends Milton (and Richard) joined in high school and which continues to this day.

Milton was preceded in death by his parents Herbert and Hilda Roye, his aunt Keith Holness, and his brother Richard Roye.  Milton is survived by his beloved wife Beverly Gray Roye; his loving children Milton (Gloria Lara) Roye Jr. of Grand Rapids MI, and Michael (Stephanie) Roye of Stone Mountain GA.  Granddaughter Katherine (Jon Schutte) Roye of Wyoming MI.  He is survived by his sister Janet Roye Spence of Dorchester MA, his brother-in-law Howard (Gail Dawson) Gray of Bangor ME, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family and friends.

Milton was a proud survivor of prostate cancer, and was forever encouraging all the black men he knew to have their PSA checked.  In lieu of flowers, gift donations in his memory (we have designated black men / education) can be made to:

Prostate Cancer Foundation

1250 Fourth Street

Santa Monica, CA  90401

Check Note: Education – In memory Milton Roye, Sr.

Or online at https://www.pcf.org/donate/

Memo Box  /  In memory of  /  Education: Milton Roye, Sr.